Toothbrush with textured bristle

Abstract

The toothbrush with textured bristles provides a tooth cleaning implement that allows for a greater abrasive or scrubbing effect than that of a conventional toothbrush. The toothbrush with textured bristles includes an elongated handle having a head portion and a plurality of bristles extending from the head portion. Each of the bristles is formed from a non-porous material and has opposed fixed and free ends and a side surface extending between the fixed and free ends. The side surface is textured to abrade the user's teeth during brushing thereof. The textured side surface may be formed as a substantially helical surface having alternating helical ridges and helical grooves or, alternatively, may be formed as a plurality of spaced apart rings.

1 . A toothbrush with textured bristles, comprising:
 an elongated handle having a head portion; and   a plurality of bristles extending from the head portion, each of the bristles being formed from a non-porous material and having opposed fixed and free ends and a side surface extending between the fixed and free ends, the side surface being textured to abrade the user's teeth during brushing thereof.   
   
   
       2 . The toothbrush with textured bristles as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the textured side surface comprises a substantially helical surface having alternating helical ridges and helical grooves. 
   
   
       3 . The toothbrush with textured bristles as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said textured surface comprises a plurality of spaced apart rings formed on the bristle. 
   
   
       4 . The toothbrush with textured bristles as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each said ring has a substantially rounded periphery. 
   
   
       5 . The toothbrush with textured bristles as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each said ring has a substantially square profile. 
   
   
       6 . A bristle for a brush, comprising an elongated main shaft formed from a non-porous material and having opposed ends and a side surface extending between the opposing ends, the side surface being textured along an axial direction of the elongated main shaft. 
   
   
       7 . The bristle for a brush as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the textured side surface comprises a substantially helical surface having alternating helical ridges and helical grooves. 
   
   
       8 . The bristle for a brush as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said textured surface comprises a plurality of spaced apart rings formed on said main shaft. 
   
   
       9 . The bristle for a brush as recited in  claim 8 , wherein each said ring has a substantially rounded periphery. 
   
   
       10 . The bristle for a brush as recited in  claim 8 , wherein each said ring has a substantially square profile. 
   
   
       11 . A toothbrush with textured bristles, comprising:
 an elongated handle having a head portion; and   a plurality of bristles extending from the head portion, each of the bristles being formed from a non-porous material and having opposed fixed and free ends and a side surface extending between the fixed and free ends, the side surface being textured along an axial direction of the bristle to abrade the user's teeth during brushing thereof, the textured side surface being a substantially helical surface having alternating helical ridges and helical grooves.